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May 4, 2001

Diagnosis and Symptoms

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Question from Marshall, Texas, USA:

My 13 year has all the symptoms of diabetes, and if she eats any raw sugar, she has an attack. She had a glucose tolerance test which was negative. What else could it be?

Answer:

From: DTeam Staff

I don’t think that I can answer your question with the information that you have provided. What do you mean by she “has an attack?”

The classic symptoms of diabetes mellitus are increased urination, increased thirst, and often, an increase in appetite. It often is associated with poor weight gain (despite the increased appetite) or frank weight loss. While sometimes a glucose tolerance test is not performed the most correct way, it should easily show whether she had elevation in blood glucose (glucose of greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl [11.1 mmol/L] after two hours) to diagnose diabetes. A two-hour glucose level of greater or equal to 140 mg/dl [7.8 mmol/L]L defines glucose intolerance.

Diabetes is not generally associated with “attacks.” Perhaps you think she has low blood glucoses (hypoglycemia). That is not diabetes. A glucose tolerance test may not be the best way to diagnose hypoglycemia. Keep conferring with her physicians.

DS